Don't Judge Me
by ChaosInsanity
Summary: I am the bringer of death.I am the collector of souls. I have no name. I have no need for names. They aren’t of any use. Onece you're dead, you’re dead." Rated for darkness and death. Oneshot. Absol tribute


**This is a tribute to Absol, one of my favorite Pokemon. It's really sad towards the end and dark. I think this is the best of all my oneshots, and I think I outdid myself. Plz tell me what you think and review. I really like this oneshot and would love some reviews. Plz. For Absol.**

**This was inspired by the dark Absol pics I found on deviantArt and I had a sudden idea: a black Absol would be a really good servant to Death. So this was created. I wrote it within three hours and STILL think its better than my usual work. Plz review.**

**No Flames**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or Absol (even though I really want to (Absol; I don't care about Pokemon)) but I own the idea. Don't steal or I will be very very mad**

* * *

There comes a time when everyone must face death. Never an easy thing to face. But it can't be helped and it eventually comes to everything and everyone. I would know. I'm the one who collects the souls.

I am the bringer of death.

I am the collector of souls.

I have no name. I have no need for names. They aren't of any use. Once you're dead, you're dead. What good is it to have your name remembered? Do you think that if some grieving friend or family member says your name that you'll come back to life? Ha. That's about as likely as my turning my back on my job.

And that'll never happen.

I am an Absol. Servant to Death himself. I bring death with me wherever I go and I take the souls of the deceased with me to take to my master. We have no names for each other. But…if you must call me something, then call me Shikyo. I have a story to tell. And I have to tell it to someone. Will you listen to me? Will you stay silent until the end? And…can you not judge me until I have finished?

--

Death did not have a job for me—he hadn't had a job for me recently. I was bored. I usually was. I merely wandered. This is what I usually did to pass the time when work was slow. Death would call me when he needed me. Until then, I was free to do as I pleased. Except, of course, take lives for my own pleasure. Despite his dark reputation, Death only took lives of those near death. When I first heard that rule, I was disappointed. But then I took my first soul. It tore my heart when I saw that Poochyena's trainer sobbing over its lifeless form.

Since then I had no heart.

I was cold and distant.

The other Pokemon fear me.

They had every right.

Death told me I'd get used to it.

I still haven't.

I don't think I ever will.

But I no longer felt the pain tear at me. I was immune to it. When I first started out I didn't think it was possible to be immune to death, but it turns out, you can. You don't feel guilt when you take life. You don't feel pain at the sight of grieving trainers. You don't cry or wail later when you're alone. Your expression remains blank. Your eyes empty.

That is how I am now.

How I was.

I changed when I met her.

--

It was dark. It usually was when I decided to go out. The forest in which I wandered was cold, empty, silent. Just how I preferred it. The long, branches overhead cast long, eerie shadows across my path. The trail I followed winding through the trees was narrow, with sharp, unpredictable turns. Just what I was used to.

The moon was thick and full, casting a silver glow that filtered through the leafless tangle of intertwined branches, dappling the forest with small oblong spots of silver light. I padded calmly yet swiftly along the path until the trees thinned and subsided all together. The forest ended abruptly and a rolling hill of green grass dyed black in the darkness stretched out in front of me. A cool breeze rippled my long coat.

I padded slowly up the hill towards the large cliff. I often come here when I can, when I need to think. It's cold. But then again, it usually is. I pause when the edge of the cliff comes into sight. There is another form sitting there. That's never happened before. I'm always alone. I always _was _alone.

I didn't let that bother me. At least, I didn't let it show. Instead I made my way up there like I usually did. I wasn't too worried. A direct hit from my claws would tear the soul from the strongest Pokemon if necessary.

I sat down beside her. She tipped her head to look at me. I ignored her.

Far below the cliff edge on which I sat was the ocean. A massive, churning mass of frothing black water with thick spots of gray, which I knew were whitecaps. The waves were high tonight. Large, black, and glittering. They just about represented death. Huh. Maybe it _was_ Death, trying to tell me my next job would come soon.

I didn't find out.

I never did.

Finally I faced her.

She was somewhat smaller than me, slim with long, soft fur. Instead of my hard, cold eyes hers were a soft, gently light green. Her fur had a light, pinkish-red tinge to it, and her face, scythe, claws, and tail—rather than being dark, midnight blue/black, were red. She was…a shiny Absol, I believe.

She stared at me with surprise in her eyes. I couldn't blame her. Most Pokemon were like that when they first see me. My thick fur is black. Pure black. My face, tail, scythe, and claws are white. My eyes blood red. It is part of the deal I made with Death. He found me young and dying. He offered me a deal. He would allow me to live so long as I was loyal and took the souls of the dying Pokemon to him. I agreed. When I woke up again, I was filled with renewed strength. My claws and scythe were abnormally long. And I woke up like this. It was part of the deal. My coloration had switched. It wasn't too much. At least I was alive.

She finally found her voice. "What odd coloration for an Absol."

"You're one to talk."

"I am a shiny Absol. This is natural," she replied, sticking out her chin in defiance. "_That_ is _not_ natural," she said, indicating with her claw to my fur.

"Who wants to be normal?"

"Ah, funny." She rolled her eyes. "What's your name?"

"I have no use for names," I replied, carefully selecting my words. "However, for those wish to address me 'properly,' I am known as Shikyo."

Hey eyes flickered with some unknown emotion. "That…means death."

"Yes."

"Did…did your trainer name you that?"

My eyes clouded. "Trainer?"

"Yes. The human that raises you."

"Call him that if you must, but I refer to him as my master. I serve him loyally and in return he grants me life. We are not friends. Just merely partners willing to work in order to receive what we want—what we need."

"What is it that he needs?"

"If I told you you'd never want to see me again."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh."

"Do you have a trainer?"

"No. I am free."

"You never told me your name."

"I though you didn't believe in names."

"I don't."

"I see. I am known as Niiro."

--

I didn't see Niiro after that for several days. I had been given a new mission. Death ordered me to take the soul of a dying Ponyta. It had been separated from its herd by a tribe of savage Luxray and Luxio. It was in pain and suffering. They were feasting on it. It was still alive. It was being eaten alive. Death thought it would be best to stop its pain.

I exited the void Death conjured to take me to the death site. I landed without sound on the soft grass. Only a few inches from my claw tips was a large pool of blood, which was steadily growing larger. The tribe of Luxray and Luxio was only a few yards away. They were crouched over the flailing, weakening form of a young Ponyta.

They didn't notice me until I stood directly behind their leader, a massive Luxray with huge claws and large fangs. The leader snapped its head up and twisted around to face me, snarling. I didn't react. I had gotten good at that. I shoved past the Luxray calmly as the others in the tribe backed away, hissing.

The leader snarled again and slashed its claws at me. I whirled calmly, slicing the air with my massive scythe. I felt the smooth edge of my blade cut into the Luxray's flesh. A howl of pain erupted from its throat and it fled into the trees with its tribe following, whimpering, at its heels.

The Ponyta weakly raised its head and trembled, its eyes wide with fear and pain. It struggled to get away as I neared. But it soon lay limp, exhausted. I stopped at its side, holding a paw over the wound. I lightly touched the tips of my claws to the ragged ends of the torn, shredded, bloodied fur and flesh. Blood tipped my claws, warm and black.

The Ponyta stared up at me pleadingly. I averted my eyes. I couldn't back down. Once again I touched my claws to the wound and let them rest there for a split second before moving my paw over to its chest, right above its heart. My paw flickered and the Ponyta whimpered. Then I plunged my claw into its chest, fading right through the flesh and muscle right to the heart without tearing out a wound. It should have been painless. Until I reached the heart. That was when the pain always started.

I never understood why.

I wrapped my claws around the faintly beating heart. Then I punctured it. The heartbeat quickened desperately. I reached deep into the center of the heart, then pulled my claw out. Between my claws I held a long, thin, silvery misted wisp, the Ponyta's soul. For a moment the Ponyta gazed up at me sadly, its flaming mane and tail still flickering. Then its eyes glazed over and its breaths ceased. The flaming mane and tail withered and shrank until all that was left was a thin curling wisp of smoke.

Then I left.

Death was waiting for me. I handed him the soul and he nodded, satisfied. He extended his robed skeletal hand. The black sleeve fell back, revealing his long, thin bones. His fingertips only just grazed the misted soul but when he pulled his hand away the soul came with him.

He dismissed me, stating there were no more jobs.

I left.

--

I found myself at the cliff again. This time, Niiro was waiting for me. The waning moon's light touched her fur gently, setting it aglow. Her eyes were glimmering softly as well. She tipped her head to one side as I approached, noting my expression. My expression was usually unreadable, but this time, it must have held some traces of…I don't know. I'm not familiar with emotions. I don't know what to call it. Forgive me.

"What's wrong?" she asked instantly.

I didn't look at her. "Nothing."

"No, something," she insisted. "What is it? What happened?"

"My master. I told you about our relationship and how I serve him. It was merely something that he asked of me."

"What did he want?"

"Nothing you should worry about."

Niiro studied my face intently. Finally she let it drop. "It's quiet tonight."

"It usually it."

"The ocean is calm."

"That's unusual."

"Yes…"

We lapsed into silence. And we stayed like that for a while. I stared hard into the calm black water, which was mostly still except for the occasional small wave. She was gazing into the night sky, admiring the half moon and pale, barely-visible dusty yellow stars, which were mere faded pinpricks above our heads.

It was calm, she was right. But I didn't know how much longer the calm would remain.

--

Several nights later Death stared straight into my eyes. It was unnerving. His eyes were deep-set hollows. Nothing but empty eye-sockets. I flinched. I couldn't help it.

"Don't get too attached."

I was taken aback. "Wh…what…do you mean?"

"You know," Death rasped. "That female Absol."

I looked down at my paws.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Death assured. "Just…try not to get attached. It's always harder when it's time to say goodbye."

I should have listened.

I should have taken his warning to heart.

Too bad I didn't have one.

--

It was another few nights before I was able to meet her again. Niiro was waiting for me on the cliff edge as usual. But I immediately sense something was wrong. A growing sense of dread gnawed at me. But I kept my face expressionless. I was good at that.

She didn't look at me. Not at first.

I waited in silence, staring into the depths of the ocean until she mustered enough courage to speak. "I'm leaving."

It didn't register for a moment. "What?" I finally asked.

"I…I was captured today," she said. "My human—trainer—is camped in the woods. We're leaving tomorrow. I only came to tell you. I hope you'd be here."

I felt numb. "Oh" was all I could say. Then I looked away. I kept my eyes locked on the frothing mass of dark water beneath us.

Niiro was silent as well. But the silence lapsed into an awkward chill, and she finally murmured, "I'm sorry. I have to go."

I didn't respond.

I heard her paws over the soft grass. I remained frozen until the sound of her claws gently brushing fallen leaves on the trail had faded. Then I moved forward until my claws tips hung in empty air over the edge of the cliff. I wondered…would it be possible for me to die I jumped? Would it kill me if I leapt from the cliff right now and plummeted a hundred feet into the surging water below and crashed against the tall, sharp rocks at the bottom?

I don't think Death would let me die so easily.

I didn't want to try.

--

Over the next few months I was cold, silent, and distant, much more than I already was. Death didn't worry about me. He never worried. There never was anything to worry about. But deaths were slow right now. It was spring. Everything would be calm and peaceful now.

Then Death assigned me my next mission: bring back the soul of a dying Chikorita caught in a forest fire. Again I took the void Death summoned for me and landed in a forest alight with massive crimson flames. A soft amber glow light up my fur. My eyes flashed. I scanned the burning clearing, cast in an eerie amber/red light from the surrounding flames. I finally spotted the wounded Chikorita lying in a crumpled heap near the flames on the far side of the clearing.

As I came closer I saw fear in her eyes.

Finally I towered over her.

Her wide, red eyes were filled with fear, but more so with pain. She whimpered as I touched my claw tips to her burn mark. Then she asked, "Am I going to die?"

I hesitated. I couldn't remember the last time one of my "patients" had asked that. Most of them were paralyzed with fear or too injured or weak to speak. A lot of the times they were unconscious. I didn't know how to answer. But eventually, I managed a soft, "Yes."

The Chikorita sighed softly and went limp against the grass. She didn't struggle. She didn't beg. It almost tore at my heart—if only I had one.

I gently put my paw above her heart and repeated the steps I used for the Ponyta torn to shreds by the Luxray tribe. She whimpered faintly when I clutched at her heart but was otherwise still and silent. Then I began to pull back my claw. Before I tore her soul from her body I whispered, "You are very brave."

She smiled slightly with what little strength she had. Her mouth opened, as if she wanted to speak, but I had already drawn her soul from her body. The Chikorita's mouth froze in a half-smile, with the half-formed word "thank" frozen on her lips. Then she shuddered and her eyes fluttered close.

A sudden spray of water blasted the flames. I recognized the move: water pulse. I paused at the edge of the void that would take me back to Death. The flames slowly died and four figures appeared through the smoky haze: two Absol and two humans. I recognized one of the Absol. It was hard not to.

She had soft fur tinged with a shade of reddish-pink. Her face, tail, scythe, and claws were red. Her eyes warmest green. She stopped dead when she saw me, eyes wide with shock. Her human, a young girl with long black hair and a single lock of white, asked her what was wrong. The second Absol, somewhat larger than Niiro, obviously male, and his trainer, a young boy with dark brown hair, looked at the shiny Absol as well.

Niiro was stunned into silence. Even if she could talk the humans wouldn't understand. Then the male Absol saw me and growled. The two humans followed his gaze but didn't see me. I expected that. Only Pokemon could see me. Death made certain of it.

I narrowed my eyes softly at her, then stepped through the void.

--

Death didn't speak of what happened at the site of the fire. He knew. I was certain of it. But he didn't speak about it. He never mentioned Niiro again. He simply said, "It's not worth it. Heartbreak isn't worth it." And then he let it drop.

That is, until a few months later.

He called me in, telling me, "An Absol is dying in battle. Apparently a victory-hungry Scizor went a little out of control and cracked the Absol's skull and tore her side open. Both fatal wounds were done with its claws. Go now. Hurry."

I nodded.

Yet again I took the void.

I was shocked by what I found.

It was battlefield. The ground was stained crimson with blood. A large horror-stricken Scizor stood off to the side with its trainer. The large crimson Pokemon was staring unseeingly at its massive claws, both dripping with blood. Two trainers, a young girl with black hair and single white lock and a brunette male, along with his male Absol, were at the other end of the field. The female crouched over the Absol, the male warily standing back with his Pokemon.

I moved closer to see the victim.

The Scizor gasped and shuddered as it looked up and saw me.

I ignored it.

I felt weak when I saw her. Her beautiful soft reddish-pink fur was ragged, torn, and bloody, now dark red with blood. Dried scarlet liquid clung to her claws, scythe, and the edges of her wound. There was a massive tear in her side, still pumping out blood. Blood trickled from another wound in the side of her head. She was barley breathing. Her eyes were closed.

I came up to her, shuddering, breathing heavily. Her eyes flickered open when I stared down into her once-beautiful now-bloodied face. "Sh-Shikyo," she murmured.

"Niiro," I replied softly. "Why…why Niiro…?"

She closed her eyes, cringing, and then reopened them. She gazed at me with pain-glazed pale green eyes. "Shikyo…I can't breathe…it's so hard…"

"It's okay."

"I'm…I'm hurting…"

"I know."

She whimpered.

How could I take her soul and allow her to die? I couldn't. I could just walk away and let Death fire me from my job. I would die instead, but at least Niiro would live. If I just left her then she could be saved. Only I could take her soul—Death couldn't take the soul of a Pokemon; he could only take the souls of humans. If I left…she could be saved. She'd be weak and would need careful handling and she'd never be able to fight again, but she'd be alive…

But…before I fully decided I knew I couldn't. It wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't be fair to all the Pokemon I could have saved but chose not to, like that little Chikorita. Her wound was lethal. The only was she would have died was if she had remained in the fire. I could have saved the Chikorita…but I didn't. And not just to the Chikorita and the others before her. It wouldn't be fair to Niiro. She was strong. She wouldn't want to live crippled and unable to defend herself. No. I would take her soul quickly.

I had to.

Again, she whimpered. I couldn't be selfish.

"Help."

I finally felt a pain seize me that day. I felt a fresh wave of pain wash over me as she said that. I nodded slowly, blinking away unshed tears threatening to fall. "Okay," I whispered. "I'll help you. I'll make the pain go away. I promise."

Niiro nodded weakly. "Thank…you."

Like I usually did, I gently put my claws to her wound and allowed her blood to stain the tips. The blood would allow me access to her soul. Then, shaking, I pushed my paw through her bloodstained mane and rested it against her chest, over her heart. My paw flickered, and then I plunged it through her flesh and muscle.

She hardly felt any pain.

I carefully took her heart in my claws and slowly sunk my claws into its center until I grasped her soul. Tears blurred my vision but I refused to let them fall. "Okay," I whispered. "Okay. It will all end now, Niiro," I murmured soothingly. "I promise."

"I-I'm going to die."

"It's the only way."

"I'm going to die."

"You have to. It's the only way to end the pain."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Goodbye," I whispered.

"Goodbye…," she echoed as I pulled my claw from her, taking her soul with it. She took in one last breath of air, sighed, and died with a peaceful expression.

Shaken by the experience, I returned to Death.

--

It's been months, perhaps years, since it happened. I still haven't gotten over it.

That night, I realized I cared for her.

That night, I lost someone I care for deeply.

That night…I finally found my heart.

That is my tale, my story. It is finally told. I have not seen Death since that night. He allowed me to set her soul free. Then he burned my contract. He had had many servants, all of which he'd released in the same way he'd released me. I am alone now. And I miss her greatly. I regret ever agreeing to Death's contract, but I can't change what has already happened. I can only pray she has found peace.

And that is how it ends.

Now, please, grant me a single favor.

Will you not judge me too harshly?

* * *

**Awwz, poor Absol T-T**

**He didn't deserve that. I really liked the ending. It was dark and angsty, my specialty**

**I thought I got his attitude great and the descriptions good as well. It took 6 full pages on Word but it only has about 3, 700 words. Sorry about that. But I still like the outcome. I hope you do too.**

**plz R&R**

**P.S. Don't ask for a sequel. This is purely oneshot and there is no way to write a sequel**


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